HASTINGS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1165, 29 June 1894, Page 18

HASTINGS.

"We have had a variegated lot of samples of weather this week—summer heat, polar cold with ice, rain and hail galore, and the distant hills are thickly covered with snow. Many of the low-lying sections are still under water, and this reminds me that some time ago the Council made a tremendous splash and were going to fill up all the seotions that were below the level of the roadway. Most ferocious notices were served upon owners, and about three sections were filled up, and then it was discovered that there was no spare earth to fill any more with, and the, whole thing has been forgotten. It was ever thus. Captain Fred. Thomas Voss, and Miss Ethel Gordon gave a variety entertainment on Saturday evening to a fair audience. We are to have all our racing during the coming week-as the courses were too wet to run on without incurring great risk of fatal accidents on the dates originally fixed. Two balls on a large scale were held this week, one on Wednesday given by Miss Beamish, and the other the annual steeplechase ball. Both of them were very largely attended and the decorations - were on very superior lines. The weather we have been having lately is very trying to the natives, and causes a good deal of sickness amongst (hem. The Gun Club meeting and the dog trials being fully reported in another part of the « paper I need not refer to them here, ' further than to note that those who 1 attended the Gun Club gathering say that ' it was one of the best conducted affairs j of the kind ever held in the Colony, the ' arrangements being in every way as near < perfection as possible. A very important ceremony was held 1 On Wednesday evening at the Heretaunga c Masonic Lodge room, when Bro. Thos. 6 Morgan was again placed in the Eastern * Chair. In addition to the members of t the local lodge there were about fifty visi- * tors present, representing the Soinde and r Victoria Lodges (Napier), Lodge of Ofcago fc (Dunedin), Hercules (Tapanui), Bedford * (Waipukurau), Abercom (Waipawa), a I Lodge in Kansas (America), and the a Grand Lodge of New Zealand, the whole r making the most representative and largest gathering of the kind ever held in ? Hastings. The installation ceremony was fc impressively performed by P.M. Bro. Beilby (Grand Superintendent for the f District of Hawka*s Bay), assisted by v P.M's Bro. B. Wellwood, G. Williams, e Provis, Wundram and others, and amongst the P.M's on the dais, in addition to those '■* named, we noticed Bros. Johnstone, b Percy, J. Jull, D. McLeod and others * who all wore badges denoting long service in the craft. Bro. Martin presided d at the organ and the musical portion of b the ceremony was very nicely carried * out. It is unnecessary to dilate on this b part of the ceremony further than to say that Bro. T. Morgan has already sat in " the Worshipful Master's chair for two I previous terms. other officers ap- * pointed were:—S.W., Bro. John Hunt; j t( J.W., Bro. W. G. Martin; treasurer, Bro. d

Williams; secretary, Bro. Beilby; S.D., Bro. Tasker; J.D., Bro. W, W. Linney ; 1.G., Bro. Fred. Cook. After the ordinary business of the Ledge was concluded the brethren adjourned to the banqueting hall, which on this occasion was not large enough to hold all who were present. The viands were capitally put on, and equally well put off, after which there was

the usual toasting and speechifying, interspersed with singing, recitations, etc. One of the chief toasts was, of course, that of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand, and in replying to this P.M. Bro. Beilby (the Grand Superintendent) spoke very highly of the Most Worshipful Grand Master Bro. H. D. Bell. v He said that although masonry was essentially a democratic institution it was quite necessary to have at the head of affairs a brother who, having worldly possessions and ability, was able to command and retain the respect and esteem of all those over whom he was called to rule. In their present Worshipful Grand Master they had one who was held in the highest esteem, and was thoroughly popular with all classes of the community throughout the Colony, and was in every way eminently fitted for the exalted position he occupied. It had been said that the fact of his never having sat as Master of a lodge might be put forward as an objection to his holding the highest office the craft was in a position to give him, but he (the speaker) pointed out that from His Royal Highness, the Prinoe of Wales, through England and Ireland and down through the former'colonial heads, the late Sir Frederick Whittaker and Sir Harry Atkinso*, there had not been one who had held the chair of a lodge, so that there was plenty of precedent for the appointment of Bro. H. t). Bell to the high office he so well filled. He felt sure that

when opportunity offered for all or any of those present to make the acquaintance of their chief they would be satisfied that a better selection could not have been made. Needless to say this and the other toasts were drunk with enthusi-

asm and were accompanied by the usual honours appertaining to free and antient masonry. At the conclusion of the banquet the Napier visitors returned borne by special train. There was much complaining at the

dog trial owing to the fact of there being no canteen on the ground. The pleasure of standing for three days, with rain falling freely at intervals and a bitterly cold wind "blowing all the time, is better imagined than described. Even the dogs seemed to know there was something wanting, and many of them would not work up to their usual form. Some say this was because bad language meant disqualification, but that is a wicked libel on Hawke's Bay shepherds, none of whom hardly ever use a big big D, except at a dog trial where there is no whisky to bo got.

The Bev J. Patterson was to have given a lecture at Clive, but had to put it off through the floods, although he " disna like they deferments." It will take phco in about a month and will be interspersed with selections by Hastings amateurs. St. Matthew's Gymnasium will give a " ladies' evening" next Monday. The club is very popular and gives some good entertainments.

The Hastings teachers are going through their annual examinations this week in Napier. The Seventh Day Adventista are having a great many thousand pamphlets printed in Maori at Hastings for distribution amongst the natives. The subject is the " Drink Curse." Whatever else may be said of these people it must be admitted that they are eminently practical in all they undertake.